Human Genius? Sorry, I’m a Deviant

Chapter 335: The Gu Cultivation Field

For the authorities to reclaim them... with a clear price tag?

The mere thought of such a scene was enough to make any normal citizen of Daxia seethe with rage.

This was physical desecration, the most blatant trampling of ethical norms and the cultural foundations formed over thousands of years!

Any force daring to implement such a policy would become the enemy of the entire populace.

The social turmoil it would incite would likely be far more terrifying than the threat posed by the Aberrants themselves.

Black City could do it because this place was inherently a lawless land, a gathering ground for desperadoes struggling to survive in the present.

There was no hometown here, no clan. Many weren't even sure about tomorrow.

Survival was the only law;

the restraints of ethics and emotions were minimized.

Here, death was commonplace, and corpses were often just a nuisance or... a resource.

The City Lord's Residence was merely catering to the demands of this extreme environment.Two entirely different soils bred entirely different sets of rules.

Su Zhan understood this clearly.

Black City's model was a special product of its specific environment.

It could not be replicated, much less promoted.

It was like a potent medicine, capable of temporarily stabilizing this unique "patient" that was Black City.

But if applied elsewhere, it would not only be ineffective but would trigger a fatal rejection reaction, accelerating collapse.

Su Zhan said with sincere respect, "President Long, your words today have been truly enlightening for this junior. I have benefited greatly and learned much."

Long Shouzhuo gave a slight smile, waved his hand to indicate there was no need for such formality, and continued, "It is good that you can understand the rules beneath the surface. However, this old man has a few more things to say, concerning the deeper order of Black City."

He picked up his teacup, took a small sip to moisten his throat, and then spoke unhurriedly, "Black City appears free, a place where everyone can struggle for survival based on their own abilities. But this freedom actually has boundaries, or rather, it is a filtered illusion. In Black City, anyone who displays talent and outstanding potential, especially those whose strength reaches a certain level, will come under the City Lord's Residence's purview and receive recruitment offers. These offers are also tiered.

Based on the total number of people recruited in Black City...

For those at the Tide Realm or classified as High-risk, the City Lord's Residence does take note, but the recruitment ratio is not high, perhaps selecting five out of a hundred, placing greater emphasis on their future potential and special abilities.

However, for those at the Abyss Realm or the Special-risk level, the recruitment intensity increases significantly. Out of every ten such individuals recruited in total, about eight are brought into the Residence, as such combat power can already be considered a mainstay force.

As for the highest level, Ocean Realm or Calamity-level powerhouses...

Any individual within Black City who reaches this realm, unless they have special backgrounds or other irresistible circumstances, does not have the right to refuse the City Lord's Residence's recruitment. If they forcefully refuse, the only outcome is expulsion from Black City, never to return."

Su Zhan's gaze sharpened as he immediately grasped the key point. "This means that within Black City, aside from the City Lord's Residence, no other force possesses Ocean Realm or Calamity-level powerhouses?"

"Exactly so."

Long Shouzhuo nodded. "This is the City Lord's Residence's absolute monopoly over top-tier powerhouse resources. Do you know what this signifies?"

Without waiting for Su Zhan's answer, he posed and answered the question himself. "Looking across the entire Daxia, there are approximately twelve hundred cities registered. Among them, only those first-tier metropolises with populations in the tens of millions and concentrated resources have Ocean Realm powerhouses stationed. Roughly speaking, cities guarded by such powerhouses constitute only about one-sixth of the total. Yet, in Black City, the number of Ocean Realm and Calamity-level powerhouses gathered under the City Lord's Residence's banner, both openly and covertly, is at least over a dozen! The concentration of such high-end combat power gives it a might that can already be compared to the capital, the core of Daxia's power!"

Su Zhan's mind was shaken to its core.

Over a dozen Ocean Realm and Calamity-level powerhouses? Comparable to the capital?

This information was too astonishing.

Seeing the shock in his eyes, Long Shouzhuo slowly revealed the root cause. "Why can Black City gather so many top-tier powerhouses? Precisely because it possesses these unique rules within Daxia. Desperadoes not tolerated by the outside world, pursued Aberrants, battle-craving madmen... they all see Black City as their final sanctuary. And Black City's own extreme environment is like a massive gu cultivation field. Countless people fight and kill here, and those who ultimately survive and reach the top are none other than the Gu Kings, possessing top-tier mentality, strength, and luck! It is this constant influx of fresh blood and the brutal elimination mechanism that have created the City Lord's Residence's terrifyingly formidable reserve of high-end combat power."

After listening to this meticulous analysis, peeling back layer by layer, Su Zhan remained silent for a long time.

He thoroughly understood the true operating logic of Black City and clearly saw the absolute order firmly controlled by the City Lord's Residence beneath the seemingly chaotic and free surface.

Su Zhan slowly stood up, straightened his clothes, faced Long Shouzhuo with an extremely solemn expression, and then, from the bottom of his heart, bowed deeply.

This bow was a gesture of respect for the elder before him who had imparted his knowledge without reservation.

Long Shouzhuo's words today were akin to parting the heavy Mist shrouding Black City, allowing him to glimpse the true face of this lawless land.

Their value was immeasurable.

"President Long, this junior will remember your kindness in enlightening me," Su Zhan's voice was low and sincere.

Long Shouzhuo then proceeded to guide him further. "Since you intend to communicate with the City Lord, this old man will be blunt. There aren't many paths to get a word with the City Lord. The most direct one is to demonstrate your irreplaceable value. Black City holds a Grand Competition once every three years, open only to those within the city. The competition is divided into two age brackets: one for those twenty-five and under, and one for those thirty and under. Five days from now is the date of this session's competition. If you can overpower all contenders and emerge as the champion in such a grand event, then obtaining a personal audience with the City Lord would be a natural outcome."

A sharp glint flashed in Su Zhan's eyes. He cupped his hands again and thanked him sincerely. "Thank you, President Long, for pointing the way."

"However..."

Long Shouzhuo's tone shifted. He raised a hand, signaling Su Zhan to be patient. "This Grand Competition is not open to just anyone. There is a hard rule: participants must have resided in Black City for over a year, or... be guaranteed by a specific organization within Black City that has obtained permission from the City Lord's Residence. The City Lord's Residence has granted this guarantee qualification to only six organizations. My Dragon Rise Society happens to be one of them. Each organization has five guarantee slots per competition session. This rule is designed to prevent outsiders from flocking in to make up the numbers, but it also leaves a path open for truly talented individuals."

A somewhat helpless, self-mocking bitter smile couldn't help but appear on Su Zhan's face. "So that's how it is... Earlier, it was this junior who was ignorant and failed to appreciate your kind intentions."

He recalled the sincere recruitment offer the other party had just made, which he had flatly refused.

Only now did he understand that crucial qualification was embedded within that invitation.

It seemed he would have to join the Dragon Rise Society this time. Otherwise, why would they help him?